Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad is one of the best salad recipes! Made with fresh spinach, juicy strawberries, toasted almonds, feta cheese, and a creamy homemade poppy seed dressing, this recipe for Strawberry Spinach Salad is both gorgeous and delicious!  

Strawberry Spinach Salad is one of my all-time favorite spring salad recipes. Scratch that, it is one of my favorite salad recipes EVER!!!

Bursting with fresh, sweet strawberries and tender spinach, this simple spring salad is elevated with toasted almonds, mild shallots, salty feta cheese, and a creamy, dreamy poppy seed dressing.

Not only are the flavors a perfect balance between sweet, savory, and salty, this Strawberry Spinach Salad is a stunner. I mean look at that color!

This is the salad to impress! It is the perfect salad to bring to a dinner party, pair with an elegant brunch, serve at a bridal or baby shower, or simply serve on a random Wednesday--but because you should enjoy this salad as often as you can!

And let it be said, it is REALLY easy to make--which is always a bonus!

Notes on Ingredients

• Spinach: Baby spinach is best for this salad. It is tender and not bitter, like larger spinach leaves can often be.
• Strawberries: Fresh, juicy strawberries are obviously a must. Be sure to select ripe, vibrantly red strawberries for the best flavor.
• Shallots: Shallots are optional, but the mild sharpness they provide to the salad is a great contrast to the sweet dressing and strawberries. It is also used in my recipe for poppy seed dressing.
• Feta: Sharp, salty feta adds so much flavor to this salad. Crumbled goat cheese is another option to use in place of crumbled feta cheese.
• Sliced Almonds: Almonds add a nice crunch to this simple salad. It is best to toast the almonds to bring out their flavor. Chopped walnuts or pecans make a great substitute for almonds. And obviously, if you need this salad to be nut-free, omit the almonds.
• Poppy Seed Dressing: You can purchase your favorite poppyseed dressing, but this homemade dressing is simple to make and is so much fresher tasting. If you don't care for poppyseed dressing, Raspberry Dressing or Balsamic Vinaigrette make great substitutes and pair well with the strawberries and spinach.

How To Make Strawberry Spinach Salad

• Prepare the salad dressing by whisking together the yogurt, mustard, honey, grated shallot vinegar, poppy seeds, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Chill the dressing until ready to serve.

• I also recommend toasting the nuts to help develop their flavor. Place the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, tossing every 30 seconds. When you smell the nuts, they will be ready!

• To assemble the salad, toss together the spinach, shallots, and strawberries in a large serving bowl.

• Sprinkle the salad with almonds and feta cheese.

• Pour a small amount of the prepared dressing over salad and toss to combine. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Preparing In Advance

Strawberry Spinach Salad is best served immediately after assembling. However, you can prep several of the components up to 24 hours in advance.

• Prepare the Poppy Seed Dressing and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Toast the nuts as directed and then let them cool completely. Place the toasted nuts into an airtight container and store at room temperature.
• Slice the shallots and place them into a container and pour water over the shallots. This will keep the shallots crisp-tender and remove any of their sharp taste. Store the shallots in the refrigerator. Simply drain off the water before adding the shallots to the salad.
• If needed, wash, dry, and chop the spinach and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
• Wait until right before assembling the strawberry spinach salad to wash, hull, and slice the strawberries.
• When ready to serve the salad, toss together the spinach, strawberries, shallots, feta, dressing, and nuts as the recipe directs.

Serving Suggestions

This Strawberry Spinach Salad is always a crowd-pleaser--even with people who often turn their noses up to salad.

It is the perfect salad to include on your brunch menu alongside Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole, French Toast Casserole, and Quiche Lorraine. Or pair with Pasta Primavera or Easy Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu for light dinner perfect for spring.

One thing you want to keep in mind when serving to a crowd, I find it is best to serve the dressing, almonds, and feta on the side. That way everyone can prepare this salad how they desire. This is is especially important if serving anyone with food allergies or sensitivities.

More Delicious Salad Recipes

• Spinach Bacon Salad
• BLT Salad
• Broccoli Salad
• Greek Quinoa Salad

If you gave this Strawberry Spinach Salad a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated in 2022 with a new video and tips.